Plato And Hobbs Modern And Ancient

Plato and Hobbs Modern and ancient.

Two distinct writers have been explored in depth in class. Thomas Hobbs who’s famous for writing the Leviathan. And Plato whose famous for writing the Republic. Both authors are famously influential in history. Hobbs being more influential in with his modern writing and Plato with his ancient writing. But what makes Thomas Hobbes writing modern or Plato ancient? What is Hobbes social contract? What are Plato’s thoughts on human nature? Evaluations of these ideas are needed for a deeper understanding of the writers.

In Hobbes leviathan he talkies about the war of all agents all. The war of all agents all is what man is like in the state of nature. The state of nature is defined by Hobbes as a state or condition in which everyone man is in a state of war agents every man. In this state of nature people have complete and total right to do anything that will allow them to protect there liberty or safety. Hobbes goes on to state that in the state of nature that life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short". If you where to continue to stay in this state of nature your life would consist of attempting to keep alive by stopping others from taking your liberty. Hobbes suggests that there is a way for people to come out of this brutish and cruel state of nature.

For you to come out of the state of nature that Hobbes describes you must enter into a social contract. The social Contract according to Thomas Hobbes the social contract can be basically broken down into the fact that people come out of the state of nature to unite under a sovereign or monarchy. Under this monarchy people would give up basic rights and freedoms for the protection. Hobbes states that because people are mean and nasty they cannot be trusted and so that there must be an absolute monarchy. The state of this social contract that is formed for means of protection is called Leviathan by Hobbes.

Because people agree to join this social contract for protection and such people lose there right to rebellion agents the monarchy. The only way that people my rebel agents the social contract or the monarchy is when the contract fails to meet its obligations of protection. People would then no longer be under the control of the social contract and would then return to the brutal and nasty state of nature.

Hobbes additionally points out on matters of economy that the sovereign had the right to impose taxes if he wanted to. And that taxes where seen as ways to support the militia and the militia was used to enforce law so the sovereign uses taxes to enforce the rule of law.

It is safe to assume that in the social contract that the sovereign has complete and absolute control of every aspect of law, economy and what ever may arise.

Next in the ideas of Thomas Hobbs is Hobbes negative view to individuality. To most people you would have a positive view but with Hobbes your indivualaity could threaten the absolute state that the monarch is in. That the idea of liberty would take away from the sovereign and could be seen as challenging the sovereign. Because the right to law, doctrine and ext forth and ruled by a sovereign.

Additonally to Thomas Hobbes Leviathan we have Plato’s Republic. In the republic Plato exhibits different types and theories in ancient thought. One of these theories is Plato’s theory of human nature. Human nature as explained in Plato’s Republic can be broken down to the idea that we have a body and a soul. And that the soul has always existed and that the body has not. That the body can be destroyed but the soul will live on. Plato says that our souls are contrary or the opposite of our human body.

Another key fact that Plato shares with us in the Republic in relation to human nature is our individuality. We gain our individuality by gaining incorporation into society. Plato sees human nature in a more negative aspect. With our soul as opposed to our body and that we must work in unity to achieve goals.

Plato’s ideas of social hierarchy are lined out in the republic. The basic out line of society is that there are three different branches. You have your workers who are masons, farmers, ranchers, and the like. Next you have your warriors these are the people that are trained to protect. And then you have the guardians who are the rulers of the city or state this is the least populist class. Each of the three classes according to Plato where mixed with metals before they where born. Workers where mixed with bronze, warriors with silver, and guardians with gold. The guardians in the city are the ones that have a connection with the divine.

Perhaps one of